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"In the dance of your festival
of lights, Let me add my own little lamp" ----- Tagore
The associations of the past students of Jesuit schools and colleges are gradually coming closer together. The phenomenon, which on the world level is about 20 years old, is taking a movement. past students of about 1800 educational institutions world wide closing ranks to uphold the values they imbibed and cherished at school can indeed offer a powerful force for the betterment of the society.
In 1977 at Valencia (Spain) World Congress - the then General Superior of the Jesuits, Fr Aruppe coined the famous phrase "Men for Others". In 1985 - Versailles (France) World Congress - concentrated on the same theme "Men and Women for Others". In 1991 - Bilbao (Spain) World Congress - resolved that the responsibility of all past students would be to work for "the betterment of the society in their own surroundings". In 1997 - Sydney (Australia) - repeated the commitment to "the betterment of the society" and urged the World Union of Jesuit Alumni/ae to work towards recognition as an NGO at UNO level. The Congress opted for CALCUTTA as the venue for the next World Congress in 2003.
The First National Congress in India, held in Chennai in 1995 - which Calcutta members attended, addressed itself to the socio-economic reality in the country and called on the participants and member associations to ‘fight corruption’. The National Congress played a major role in bringing Indian associations together, a requirement for a meaningful representation in the next World Congress at Sydney.
The Second National Congress - Calcutta 1999 - aims at strengthening the resolve of the past Congress and inspiring participants to involve their associations and themselves individually ‘in the betterment of society, with special reference to the weaker sections and the marginalised’. A particular feature of this Congress will be the "Adoption of a Constitution for a National Federation of Jesuit Alumni/ae Associations in India".
At the First National Congress in Chennai, Calcutta was given two mandates : (a) to organize the 2nd National Congress; (b) to prepare a draft Constitution for the Federation for adoption. Necessarily a Committee called COJAC was formed under the Presidentship of Rev Fr A Bruylants,sj by the three host Associations, viz., SXCAA, SLOBA and ALSOC. The Calcutta Congress is an immediate fallout of the Madras National Congress and Sydney World Congress. From our pledge for: accountability, morality, discipline, generosity and inculcating the values of our respective Association for our members we move to .... "In the Dance of your Festival of Lights, let me add my own little lamp". Indeed the Nationals would emphasize the need for alumni/ae to adhere to a living faith and to live it in the context of their daily relationships while not denying the role of external forms and rituals in religion, we affirm that true living faith arouses the believer the compassion, love and service in the form of the concrete gesture towards society. The following panel discussions have been chosen : (a) Analysis of Indian Society; (b) God experience leading to Service; and (c) Personal and Corporate response.
At 11.45 a.m. the Meeting of Accredited Delegates on the Constitution of a National Federation was scheduled at the A V Room, of St Xavier’s School. The meeting was chaired by Rev Fr P C Mathew,sj, Convenor of the Constitution Committee, assisted by Mr. Rajeev Ginodia and Mr. Debashis Khettry. The accredited delegates from the various Associations as well as Province Coordinators also attended the meeting and took part in the deliberations. However, the Province Coordinators did not take part in voting. The meeting continued after lunch upto 3.30 p.m. After detailed discussions and exchange of opinions, the accredited delegates and the Province Coordinators unanimously accepted the Constitution for the Federation and agreed to place the same before the general members for due adoption at their meeting on 24th January 1999 at 11.00 a.m.
INAUGURATION OF THE CONGRESS
At 4.30 p.m. His Excellency, the Governor of West Bengal, Dr A R Kidwai arrived to inaugurate the Congress at the SXC Hall. After the national anthem, His Excellency declared the Congress open with the lighting of lamps. There was an All Faith Prayer. After which, dignitaries viz., Arch Bishop Calcutta, Most Rev Fr Henry D’Souza.sj, Provincial of India, Rev Fr Lisbert D’Souza,sj, Provincial of Calcutta, Rev Fr Aelred Gomes,sj, National Jesuit Educational Coordinator, Rev Fr Robert Slattery,sj, the Secretary, Mr. Kalyan Chowdhury, Jt Secretary, Mr. K K Kanoi, three Secretaries of Host Associations, Mr. N K Gupta, Mr. Siddharth Dudhoria and Mr. Amitava Gupta were requested to sit on the dais. Rev Fr A Bruylants,sj, President of the Organizing Committee, extended a hearty welcome to the distinguished guests and delegates present at the Congress.
MC then requested Fr Lisbert D’Souza, sj, Provincial of India and President of the Jesuit Conference of South Asia to say a few words. Fr D’Souza,sj explained in brief the importance of Jesuit education and its significance He said that the objective of Jesuit education is to empower our students spiritually, humanely, socially so that they could lead a life with a certain depth of devotion and tolerance / compassion. Jesuit institutions should be a platform for men and women for others. Our Alumni/ae are agents of social changes. He referred to the words mentioned by Most Rev Fr Aruppe and Most Rev Fr Peter Kolvenbach,s.j. that men and women are for others. Jesuit alumni/ae should inculcate this special culture and try their best as to how they could help the weaker sections and marginalised of the society around them which would ultimately be in tune with the ‘theme’ of the Congress.
MC then requested His Excellency, the Governor of West Bengal, Dr A R Kidwai to deliver his address.
Dr Kidwai expressed his pleasure to be amongst the distinguished gathering for the inaugural session of the Second National Congress of Jesuit alumni/ae. He reiterated that the purpose of education does not end upon leaving the school by a student, but the purpose of education would be complete and meaningful when the students would spread the essence of their education for the welfare of society and the marginalised for their betterment. What they have achieved in the alma mater, they should try to reflect the ideas of the same in personal and corporate lives as well. The accountability, morality and generosity the students have been imparted in their education in Schools, must cherish these ideas and values in future lives which would help develop Indian society at large and this would be main job of alumni/ae which they could carry out for the advance of human society in the next millennium. This is a very important matter. The alumni/ae have certain responsibility towards their parent educational institutions so that what they have achieved, the new generation could also continue to get the benefit of the same advancement of knowledge through that education. The ethical values of Jesuit education have to be spread over the society. It should be done in a wider scale. It should be done at the State level and at the national level. With the globalization of society and development of information and technology, this message has to be spread all over for the advancement of society.
After the address by the Governor, Rev Fr A Bruylants,sj made a special announcement. He referred to the departed souls who left us and a minute of silence was observed in their memory.
Mr. Kalyan Chowdhury, Secretary, Organizing Committee, extended hearty vote of thanks to His Excellency Governor of West Bengal and other distinguished guests and delegates and concluded by reciting from a famous poem of Rabindra Nath Tagore.
End of Inaugural Session.
5.30 P M - KEY NOTE ADDRESS BY MR SHIDDARTHA SANKAR RAY
In the dais Mr. S. S. Ray, ex-Chief Minister of West Bengal and ex-Governor of Punjab, a Jesuit alumnus, Gen. Shankar Roy Chowdhury (Retd.), Prof. Suman Mukherjee and Mr. S V Raman
Prof. Suman Mukherjee introduced Gen. Shankar Roy Chowdhury, an alumnus, and requested him to introduce Mr. S. S. Ray. Gen. Roy Chowdhury introduced Mr. Ray and afterwards, Mr. S. S. Ray delivered his Key Note address on the expectations of the congress.
Mr. S V Raman extended a hearty vote of thanks.
18.30 P M - ASSOCIATIONS ZONAL REPORTS
Rev Fr Bob Slattery, sj was in the Chair - assisted by Mr. Jitu Rampuria as co-ordinator.
At 7.45 p.m. the delegates started for St Lawrence High School for Cultural Entertainment and Dinner. St. Lawrence High School put up an excellent show of classical Indian music by Mr. Partha Chatterjee, an alumnus, a recital of contemporary Bengali songs by Mr. Shaktibrata Das, another Lawrencian and a group performance by the students of Class XII of the school who presented popular Hindi numbers. Delegates praised the evening for its superlative ambience.
09.30 A M - MULTIMEDIA PRESENTATION
A pre recorded multimedia presentation prepared under the guidance of Rev Fr. P.C. Matthews, s.j. and Mr. Amit Dasgupta, a teacher of St. Lawrence High School on the history of greatness of this vast country and the problems of the present day. The presentation was made at the St. Xavier’s Auditorium and lasted for 22 minutes. At the end of the presentation, Mr. Zaheed Gangjee took over as the moderator of the event to co-ordinate the group discussions on the questions the presentation threw open to the delegates.
10.00 A M - Group discussions begin.
11.00 A M - Accredited Delegates meet to give a final shape to the constitution of the federation.
13.00 P M - LUNCH
14.00 P M - Group discussions continue till spokespersons are identified for the various groups to work on the congress declaration.
17.00 P M - The different zones meet separately to elect their representatives to the national governing council of the federation. A zonal co-ordinator is also selected to liaison with the province co-ordinators in the formation of the zonal council.
19.00 P M - CULTURAL PROGRAMME
The dance drama CHANDALIKA by Rabindranath Tagore presented by Rabindra Bharati University at the auditorium. The presentation and the music hold the delegates mesmerized.
20.30 P M - CONGRESS DINNER
On the lawns of St. Xavier’s, an excellent spread of Indian cuisine with the Army Bagpiper Band providing live music. The high point of the evening was the friendship march by hosts and guests alike around the lawns with the bandmaster and his troupe leading.
The programme started with Congress Eucharist at 8.30 a.m. in the College Chapel presided over by Archbishop Fr Henry D’Souza, Jesuit Alumnus.
At 9.30 a.m. there was a General Assembly of delegates where the Reports of Group Discussions were highlighted by Mr. Zahid Gangjee. After exchange of views and interactions, a consensus of opinion was reached and the following resolutions and recommendations were adopted on :
Delegates were confident that their dream will become a reality.Education and Reaching Out Secularism Consciously utilizing resources Spiritual Reflection
TEA BREAK
At 10.30 a.m. the nominated members of the Governing Council from four Zones assembled at an informal meeting with Rev Fr Bob Slattery,sj in the Chair. There Office-bearers were nominated with two Indian delegates to the World Union viz., Mr. Kalyan Chowdhury and Dr Arumai Raj as Ex-officio members. Mr. K K Kanoi from North Zone was nominated as President and Mr. Conrad Gonsalves from West as the Secretary for the first Governing Council. Rev Fr Bob Slattery,sj was unanimously nominated as the first Patron of the Federation.
At 11 00 a.m. there was a meeting of all delegates for adopting the Constitution for a National Federation. Fr P C Mathew,sj conducted the meeting and informed the delegates about the decision of the meeting of the Accredited Delegates. He introduced the members of the Governing Council to the delegates and asked the representatives of member associations to complete the necessary formalities. There were 18 Accredited Delegates and 9 Province Coordinators present at the Meeting. After completing the technical formalities, there was prayer to the Almighty for two minutes for His blessings on this new venture.
It was decided that the Third National Congress will be held at Mumbai sometime during 2001/2002.
Fr A Bruylants,sj as President of the Organizing Committee, thanked the delegates for adopting the Constitution for the National Federation. He mentioned that this was the brain-child of Fr Bob Slattery,sj. However, from the National Coordinator of Jesuit Education, Fr Slattery has been entrusting with a new assignment and Fr Castarino,sj would the next Secretary of the Jesuit Educational Associations of India and National Coordinator for the Jesuit Alumni/ae Associations. He will assume his assignment from April 1999. Delegates present extended their heartiest welcome to Fr Bob Slattery,sj for his selfless and devoted service rendered for years together.
Mr. Kalyan Chowdhury and Mr. K K Kanoi handed over the lighted lamp to Mr. Conrad Gonsalves, Secretary of the Federation from Mumbai symbolizing that the next Congress would be hosted by them. Mr. Kalyan Chowdhury extended a hearty vote of thanks to all the delegates present at that Session.
LUNCH BREAK
BUSINESS AND CONCLUDING SESSION - VOTE OF THANKS
At 2.30 p.m. Concluding Session started. Mr. Ranabeer Sen was the MC for this Session. The delegates present took the pledge of tolerance, compassion, service to humanity and responsibility to the society. Delegates felt the urgent need of the theme : ‘Men and Women for Others’. Mr. N K Gupta, Secretary, SXCAA, gave the final vote of thanks to all those who have been responsible for the success of the Congress including the sponsors. Mr. R Sen then requested the Provincial of India to give his blessings. After the blessings of the Provincial of India, Fr A Bruylants,sj requested the delegates to get themselves ready for the ceremonial closure of the Congress. He reminded delegates about the theme ... "In the dance of your festival of lights - let me add my own little lamp.’ Every delegate was given a small lamp to be carried with him as a symbol. Furthermore, the map of India with national colours had been displayed outside the Hall and the members of the Governing Council of the Federation were requested to proceed towards the courtyard one by one followed by the Jesuit Fathers and other delegates and enkindle each one a lamp and keep the same by the side of India’s map.
Delegates stood hand to hand and sang the song of harmony and peace and thus the three-day long Second National Congress ended with a ceremonial closure.